ANOTHERMOTHER RUNNER

#224: The Mental Side of Running

Post-tunnel, pre-bear: Dr. Justin Ross on his way to a Boston-qualifying marathon finish.

Sarah and co-host Molly Williams have a major chat with Justin Ross, a Denver-based psychologist who works with runners and triathletes, about the mental side of running (and swimming!). This father of two young children started running less than a decade ago, yet he’s already qualified for Boston Marathon! The trio has an intriguing conversation about how connecting to your future self or to values (rather than goals) can bolster flagging motivation. After Molly shares a particularly candid story about her overwhelming fear of running six miles when she was a newbie runner, the good doctor counsels on how to get over mental hurdles that inevitably arise in training or racing. He talks about the importance of connecting to trust while prepping for a race and well as cultivating the ability to tap into a sense of calm. This thought-provoking dialog concludes with examining the “flow” of movement. Along the way, find out what Molly fears most of seeing while open-water swimming.

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